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DANDIE 

THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 



The kittens 9 first home in the woodshed 


































































































































































DANDIE 

The Tale of a Yellow Cat 


By 

FLORENCE HUNGERFORD 

General Supervisor, Public Schools, Cleveland, Ohio 


Pictures by 

ELLA DOLBEAR LEE 



RAND M?NALLY & COMPANY 
CHICAGO NEW YORK 


Copyright, 1924, by 
Rand M?Nally & Company 




Made in U. S. A. 


NOV '4 !924 

©C1A80T49 5 




Z./—Z.S'* 


r 

f 

£ THE CONTENTS 

Page 


My First Home.9 

The Home on the Hill.15 

I Learn to Climb a Tree.21 

Catching Mice and Catching Birds ... 24 

Little Boy Puts Me into the Water 29 

Ink Pot and I Meet Again.34 

I Go to Walk with Missy and the Yellow 

Dog.40 

Tinker Bell and the Kittens .... 45 

The Kittens Are Lost and Found ... 50 

White Kitten and Gray Kitten Get into 

Trouble.55 

My Naughty Day.60 

My Good Day.68 

I Find Out about the Trolley Car ... 75 

Everybody Goes Away from the Hill 83 

Missy and I Go to the City.88 

5 

















THE CONTENTS 


Page 

At the Black Dog’s House.95 

I Go to a New Home.100 

My New Home and What I Found There . 106 
I Find Another Cat in the Mirror ... 114 
Missy and Other Missy Come to See Me . 118 
I Am Still at My New Home.123 



6 











Where Dandie and Ink Pot spent their first days 


















































































DANDIE 

THE TALE OF A YELLOW 
CAT 

MY FIRST HOME 
My first home was in the woodshed 
at Big Boy’s house. That was when 
I was a tiny kitten, and lived with 
Mamma and little brother. 

Mamma was a black and yellow 
cat, and little brother was all black. 
His name is Ink Pot, and mine is 
Dandie. What color do you suppose I 
am? Why, yellow, of course, just like 
the first pretty spring flower. 

At first we stayed all the time in 
our basket. We slept, and Mamma 
gave us our food. 

One day Ink Pot said, “See what 
I have, Dandie.” 


9 


10 


DANDIE 


He spread out his paws. There 
were little, sharp claws in each one. 
I spread out my paws. I had claws, 
too. 

We dug our claws into the sides of 
the basket and tried to climb out, but 
we had to try a good many times 
before we could do it. 

When we did get out on the floor, 
our legs were so weak that we could 
hardly stand on them. We were very 
glad to climb back into the basket 
and rest. 

But we climbed out every day. 
Soon we grew Strong, and were able 
to run all around the woodshed. 

What good times we did have! We 
chased our tails round and round, and 
rolled each other over. Sometimes we 
bit Mamma’s tail, and made her say, 
“Mew! Mew!’’ 

Almost every day Big Boy and his 
sister came out to play with us. He 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


11 


would say to me, “Hello, Butterball!” 
His sister told him that my name was 



Dandie, but he called me Butterball 
just the same. 

When we were not asleep or at 
play, we were being washed. Mamma 












12 


DANDIE 


held us tight with her paw, and licked 
us all over with her tongue. When 



we were old enough, she taught us to 
wash ourselves. 

Ink Pot did not have to wash as 
much as I did, because his fur was 



THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


13 


black. All the dirt showed on mine. 
If I did not get clean behind my ears, 
Mamma helped me. How she did 
hurt sometimes! 

We learned to purr, too. Purring 
is the noise you make when you are 
happy. After that, we learned to lap 
milk out of a dish. 

We found that we could dig our 
claws into things, and climb almost 
anywhere. You can scratch with claws, 
too, but that is naughty. 

We never thought of living any¬ 
where else, but one day Mamma said, 
“ Tomorrow you are going to new homes 
on the hill. Dandie will live with some 
ladies, and Ink Pot will live with a 
little girl.” 

‘‘We should rather stay with you,” 
we said. 

‘‘You can’t do that,” she answered. 
“They do not want three cats here. 
You will have nice homes, and you 


14 


DANDIE 


must be good, and make your missies 
love you.” 

“What shall we do to be good?” 
we asked. 

This is what she told us: 

“ Ink Pot must not cry or scratch 
if Little Girl pulls his tail. She is 
only a baby, and doesn’t know any 
better. 

“ Dandie must lie on his missies’ 
laps and purr whenever they want 
him to. 

“You must not tease for food. 
You must never climb on the table. 
Be careful not to spill your milk. 

“Go to the door and mew when 
you want to go out. 

“Wash yourselves every day, and 
keep neat and clean.” 

We said we would try to remember. 

Next day Big Boy put one of us 
on each shoulder and carried us away. 

We never saw Mamma again. 


THE HOME ON THE HILL 


There were two ladies in my new 
home. One was Missy, and one was 
Other Missy. 

The first thing that Missy did was 
to give me some milk in a dish. I 
lapped it all up. Then I washed my 
face. 

Other Missy gave me a spool to 
play with. When I hit it with my 
paw, it ran away from me, under the 
stove. I had hard work to get it out. 
Then it got under a chair. At last 
the spool hid away under the couch. 
By that time I was tired, and did not 
go after it. 

There was a big yard around the 
house. I wanted to go out and play 
in it. So I pawed the door and said, 
“Mew! Mew!” 


15 



The first time Dandie met a dog 















THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


17 


Missy said, “If I let him out, he 
must be tied up, or he will run away.” 
She didn’t know that Mamma had 
told us not to! 

She put a collar around my neck. 
Then she tied a long string to it. The 
other end was fastened to a tree near 
the house. 

I didn’t like the collar, so I tried 
and tried to get it off. But it would 
not come. 

Then I tried to run. I could go 
quite a long way, but if I went too 
far the string jerked me back. I didn’t 
like that, either. 

While I was playing in the yard 
two dogs came up the hill with their 
ladies. One was big and yellow; the 
other was little and black. 

When I saw them, I put up my 
back and said, “Siss! Siss!” but they 
did not mind. They did not even 
bark. 


18 


DANDIE 


The black dog went right along 
without even looking at me. But the 
yellow dog came and smelled me 
all over. His lady said, “He will not 
hurt you; he likes cats.” So we were 
friends. 

There were three other cats on the 
hill. Their names were Tom, Sweet¬ 
heart, and Tinker Bell. They did not 
notice me any more than the black 
dog did, for they were big cats, and I 
was only a kitten. 

The cats lived at the big house. 
That was where the yellow dog lived, 
too. The black dog lived at the little 
house. 

In the back yard were a great 
many chickens. Whenever they came 
around in front of the house, the yellow 
dog barked at them and chased them 
back. 

Then how those chickens did run! 
Sometimes he chased them when they 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


19 


were in their own yard. Then his lady 
would say, “Bad dog! Bad dog!” 





Tom was afraid of the chickens. 
They took the food right off his dish, 
and he let them! He was afraid they 
might nip him with their sharp bills. 





20 


DANDIE 


Missy was sorry for Tom. She 
took him into our house and fed 
him. She said some one must have 
been unkind to him to make him so 
afraid. 


I LEARN TO CLIMB A TREE 


For a long time I was tied up 
every day. Then one morning Missy 
said, “ I think he will not run away 
now.” So she took off the collar and 
string. It was such fun ! I could go 
wherever I wanted to. 

There was a big tree in the yard. 
It was called a cherry tree. 

One day a strange dog came up 
the hill. He ran at me and barked. 
I put up my back and looked him 
straight in the eye, but he did not 
stop. So I climbed right up into the 
tree. 

Dogs can’t climb trees. He pawed 
the trunk, but he couldn’t get me. So 
he stood still and barked. 

Missy came out and drove the dog 
away. She called to me to come 


21 


22 


DANDIE 


down, but the first time you climb a 
tree you are afraid. It looks so far to 



the ground, and your claws slip on 
the bark. 

I cried and cried, and Missy talked 
to me. After a while I climbed down 
a little way, but I slipped, and was 
afraid, so I went back. 

The black dog’s lady came out. 
“I’ll bring a ladder,’’ she said, “and 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


23 


we’ll get him down,” but Missy told 
me to try once more. 

I tried again, and this time I got 
as far as the trunk of the tree. Then 
Missy put up her hand and got me. 

I tell you I was glad when I was 
on the ground again! I thought I 
never would climb another tree. I did 
though, and the next time it was just 
as easy to get down! 


CATCHING MICE AND 
CATCHING BIRDS 

One day I found a mousehole in 
the pantry. I knew what it was by 
the smell. 

Mamma told us about mice, but I 
had never seen a mouse. I sat down 
to watch the hole, just as I had seen 
her do. 

When you watch a mousehole, you 
fold your paws and lie very still, so the 
mouse will not know you are there. 

I waited a long time. Then I 
heard scratch, scratch, scratch ! 

A mouse put out his head I 
jumped up and made a spring. But the 
mouse was too quick for me, and ran 
back into his hole. 

I watched that hole for days and 
days. And at last I caught the mouse. 


24 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


25 



I took him in my mouth and away I 
ran to show Missy. 

She was pleased and said, “Good 
Dandie! Catch all the mice you can. 
They get in the pantry and eat up 
all the food.” 

I wanted to catch a bird, too. It 
is much harder to catch birds than 
mice. You softly creep and creep close 
up to them. Then you make a spring, 



























26 


DANDIE 


but the birds always fly away before 
you can seize them. 

Missy saw me trying to catch a 
bird and said, “No, no! That is 
naughty.” 

I wonder why it is naughty to 
catch birds and good to catch mice? 

There was a robin’s nest in the 
cherry tree. When I first climbed up 
to look, there were only eggs in it. 
The mother robin scolded, and tried 
to peck me. So I got down. 

After a while I went again. The 
father and mother robins were both 
away. There were four little robins 
in the nest! 

I took one in my mouth and began 
to climb down the tree. The old 
birds came back and made a great 
fuss. Missy came out to see what 
was the matter. 

“Bad kitty,” she said, “to get a 
young robin!” 



Dandie and the robins 








































































































28 


DAN DIE 


She took it away from me, and 
Big Boy, who came along just then, 
climbed up and put it back into the 
nest. 

Missy took me on her lap and 
talked to me. She said she could not 
love me any more if I caught little 
birds. 

That made me feel sorry, and I 
never went near the robin’s nest again. 


LITTLE BOY PUTS ME INTO 
THE WATER 


A little boy came to the big house 
to visit. There were no other little 
boys for him to play with, so he did 
a great deal of mischief. 

He chased the turkey gobbler, and 
made him all red and angry. He put 
burrs in the yellow dog’s tail. He 
picked all the green grapes to throw 
at the chickens. 

He liked to tease cats. We were 
all afraid of him. 

Missy said to him, “If you hurt my 
cat, something will happen to you.” 
So he let me alone for a long time. 

But one day when the Missy was 
taking a nap, Little Boy said, “Come 
and play in the garden, Dandie, and 
I’ll give you this.” 


29 


30 


DANDIE 


He showed me a piece of fish. I 
like fish, so I went with him. 



He gave it to me, but while I was 
eating it he picked me up and ran to 
a little lake. 

He threw me right into the water, 
and I got wet all over. You know 
cats hate water, and I began to cry. 
Little Boy just laughed. 

The black dog’s lady came out of 
the little house. She took me away 



THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


31 


from Little Boy, and scolded him. 
She said she would tell his Mamma; 
he was a naughty boy and he would be 
punished. 

Little Boy cried. 

“ Don’t tell! I’ll never do it again,” 
he said. So she said she would not 
say anything about it. 

She took me into the house and 
dried my fur. Then she gave me 
something to eat. When I was all 
right she sent me home. 

For some time Little Boy kept his 
promise. 

Then one day when I was in the 
garden he came softly up behind me, 
and threw me into the water again. 

The black dog’s lady heard me cry. 
She came out and said, “This time I 
shall tell.” 

Little Boy said, “Oh, please don’t! 
I will be good!” But she would not 
listen. 


32 


DAN DIE 



She carried me home, just as I 
was, all wet. 

Other Missy put a soft towel around 
me and rubbed my fur. As she rubbed, 
she kept saying, “Poor kitty! Bad 
Little Boy!” 

Soon I felt better, and began to lick 
myself. That helped to get me dry. 

Other Missy gave me some milk. 
After I had eaten it, I curled up on 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


33 


her lap, and purred. Then I went to 
sleep, and when I waked up I was 
all dry. 

Other Missy told Little Boy’s 
Mamma, and he couldn’t go into the 
garden again for a week. She said it 
was cruel to treat pussy so, and he 
had to come and say he was sorry. 

I heard him cry, and knew just 
how he felt. 


3 


INK POT AND I MEET AGAIN 

One day when I was out playing 
in the yard, Ink Pot came walking up. 

His home was on another part of 
the hill. I had almost forgotten about 
him. 

“How fat you are, Dandie!” he said. 
“Do you get enough to eat?” 

“Of course I do. Don’t you?” 

He said Little Girl’s Mamma was 
very busy, and sometimes she forgot 
to give him his milk. 

“Are you hungry now?” I asked 
him. 

“Yes,” he said, “ I’m always hungry.” 

I told him to come right in and 
have some of my milk. I took him 
to the dish, and how he did eat! 
Missy said, “ Poor Ink Pot! He is 
half starved!” 


34 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


35 




She put more milk in the dish. 

Ink Pot and I drank all we could 
hold, and then we played with my 
spool. 

Ink Pot had never seen a spool 
before. He thought it great fun to 




















36 


DANDIE 


run over the floor after it, and find it 
when it hid itself away. 

It is hard work to chase a spool. 
Pretty soon we were tired. So we put 
our paws around each other’s neck 
and went to sleep. 

We slept until Little Girl came 
and said, “I want my kitty.” 

Ink Pot did not want to go, but 
she took him in her arms and carried 
him away. 

The last thing he said was, “Come 
to see me, Dandie.” 

I knew I couldn’t go to see him 
without running away, and that would 
make Missy angry. I thought if I 
didn’t go, perhaps he would come 
again. So I waited and waited, but 
Ink Pot didn’t come back. 

After you have had another kitten 
to play with, it is no fun to play 
alone. At last I made up my mind 
to go and see Ink Pot, anyway. 



Little Girl and Ink Pot 




























































































38 


DANDIE 


I went down our hill and up a 
path. There was the house, and there 
was Ink Pot asleep on a green bench. 

Little Girl saw me and called, 
“Kitty, kitty, kitty!” 

She picked me up and tried to 
stroke my fur, but she did it the 
wrong way, and it hurt. I cried, and 
got away. 

Ink Pot woke up and was very 
glad to see me. He said that Little 
Girl did not know how to hold a cat. 

We played out of doors with acorns. 
They will not roll like the spool, but 
there are more of them. They are 
good fun. 

I stayed all day, and had my din¬ 
ner and supper. It grew dark, and 
Little Girl was put to bed. Ink Pot 
said I must stay all night. 

I said I would, but just then I 
heard Missy’s voice at the door, ask¬ 
ing, “Is Dandie here?” 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 39 

Little Girl’s Mamma said, “Yes” 
and brought me out. 

“ I don’t know what I shall do with 
Dandie if he runs away,” Missy said. 

Then she took me in her arms and 
carried me home. 

Next day I was tied up again. 


I GO TO WALK WITH MISSY AND 
THE YELLOW DOG 


Every day Missy took the yellow 
dog for a walk. He was so happy to 
go that he jumped into the air and 
barked. 

They never asked me to go with 
them, but I wanted to know where 
they went So one day I went after 
them 

They didn’t hear me following. I 
have soft pads on my paws, and so 
I do not make a bit of noise when 
I walk. 

They went down the hill and into 
the big woods. 

The yellow dog ran on ahead. He 
had a strap fastened to his collar. 
Missy held the other end of the strap 
and ran, too. 


40 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 41 

They went so fast that I couldn’t 
keep up, and I cried, “Mew! Mew!” 



That meant, “Wait for me!” Missy 
turned around and saw me. 

“Why, Dandie!” she said. “What 
made you come? ” 


42 


DANDIE 


She picked me up and put me on 
her shoulder. I had a fine ride. We 



went ’way to the end of the road. 
When we turned around, Missy said, 
“Now Dandie must walk.” So I had 
to get down. 





THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 43 

I liked the wood road. There were 
grasshoppers and all kinds of bugs to 
play with. 

Sometimes I stopped a good while 
to play. Then Missy and the yellow 
dog would get ahead, and I had to 
run and call, “Wait for me!” 

Missy always waited, but she did 
not carry me any more. 

After that I went to walk with 
them every day. Sometimes we went 
down the hill to the flats. 

That was the best walk of all, for 
there I found many tiny little green 
frogs, and ate them. Oh, but they 
were good! 

Once Missy put me on the yellow 
dog’s back to ride. He didn’t like it 
at all, and ran off as fast as he could. 
I dug my claws into his hide and made 
him cry. 

Then she took me off, and let me 
ride on her shoulder. 


44 


DANDIE 


I tried to walk with other people, 
but they didn’t like it. They always 
said, “Go right back, Dandie.” 

If I went on and called, “Wait 
for me!’’ they didn’t wait. They only 
laughed, and I had to go back. 


TINKER BELL AND THE 
KITTENS 


One day I heard a great noise in 
the storeroom. The door was open, 
so I went in. 

Both my missies were there. So 
was the black dog’s lady, and all the 
ladies from the big house. 

They stood around a box. What 
was in it? I wondered. I couldn’t see. 
But pretty soon one of the ladies took 
something out. Then I saw — what 
do you think? — a tiny kitten! 

Its eyes were not open. It had no 
fur on its tail, and said “Mew” in 
such a weak little voice. I didn’t 
think much of it. 

At last the kitten was put back 
into the box, and they all went away. 

Then I climbed up and looked in. 
There lay Tinker Bell and three kittens! 


45 


46 


DANDIE 


I asked her if they were hers. 
“Yes, of course,” she said. “Aren’t 
they pretty?” 

I wanted to be polite, so I said 
they were, but they looked to me just 
like rats. 

Every day I went in to see the 
kittens. 

How fast they grew! Pretty soon 
their eyes were open, and they were 
blue! Mine are yellow, like my fur. 
Ink Pot’s are green. So are Tinker 
Bell’s. 

Soon they were able to climb out 
of the box. And they ran about in 
such a funny way on their weak little 
legs. 

Tinker Bell washed them with her 
tongue, just as Mamma used to wash 
us. When she rubbed behind their ears 
they cried, just as we did. 

When they were big enough to 
play, they had such good times! They 



Tinker Bell and her family 





































































DANDIE 


ran round and round after their tails, 
and tried to bite them. They bit Tinker 



Bell’s tail, too. Then she cuffed them 
with her paw. 

Missy let the kittens come into our 
house. She gave them milk in my dish. 














THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


49 


I did not like that, and tried to push 
them away. 

But Missy said, “You bad Dandie! 
Let the kitties have some!” 

I had to go away, but I cuffed 
them when she wasn’t looking. 


4 


THE KITTENS ARE LOST AND 
FOUND 


One day when I went in to see the 
kittens, the box was empty. I looked 
all around, but I couldn’t find them 
anywhere. 

I went in every day to see if they 
had come back, but they hadn’t. 

At last 1 saw Tinker Bell in the 
yard. “Where are the kittens?’’ I 
asked her. 

“Come and see,” she answered. 

We went around to the woodshed. 
There they were, in a nice, new box 
home. 

I asked her why they didn’t stay 
in the storeroom. 

She said the kittens kept running 
into the kitchen and getting under the 
cook’s feet. 


50 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 51 

That made the cook angry, and she 
said they must go out into the shed, 
to live. 



Tinker Bell did not like the new 
home. She said she would not stay. 

I asked her where she was going, 
but she only looked wise and shook 
her head. 

The next day the kittens were 
gone from the woodshed. 






















52 


DANDIE 


Everybody talked about it. Missy 
said, “Perhaps old Tom has killed 
them,” but the others were sure their 
Mamma had hidden them away in some 
safe place. 

When I saw Tinker Bell, I asked 
her about it, but she wouldn’t say a 
word. 

A day or two after that Missy and 
I were out in the yard. I played 
with some leaves. Missy dug in the 
flower beds. 

We heard a queer little noise on 
the roof and looked up. There sat 
Tinker Bell with a kitten in her 
mouth. 

Missy called to the ladies and they 
came out to see. Some children came 
running up, too. 

“Oh, she will kill the kitty!” cried 
one. 

“Oh, no,” said another. “That is 
the way cats carry their kittens.” 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


53 


I do not see how she knew, but it 
is so. There are thick folds of skin 



on one’s neck. These are what your 
Mamma takes in her mouth. She does 
not hurt one bit. 

Tinker Bell came to the edge of 
the roof. Then she walked down the 
water pipe. 

When she got to the big vine in 
front of our house she jumped right 











54 


DANDIE 


into it. Then she climbed down to the 
ground, and ran away around the 
house. 

She took the kitten back to the 
storeroom, and put it into the old box. 
She brought the other two back in the 
same way. Everybody laughed. They 
said Tinker Bell was a smart cat. 
Even the cook said it was too bad to 
drive her away. So they all stayed. 

When I went in to see them, they 
lay in the box, and purred. That was 
because they were so happy. 


WHITE KITTEN AND GRAY 
KITTEN GET INTO TROUBLE 


Those kittens had just such a hard 
time learning to climb as I did. 

The white one was the larger 
of the two. He always tried new 
things first. 

One day White Kitten climbed 
the telephone pole. There are no 
branches on it, so of course he 
couldn’t get down. 

Then the ladies sent for Big Boy 
to come. He tried to climb the 
telephone pole, but he couldn’t do it 
—it was too slippery. 

Then they all took hold of the 
pole and shook hard. White Kitten 
tried his best to hold on, but his 
claws slipped. He let go, and fell 
down, down, down ! 


55 


56 


DAN DIE 


The ladies held up a blanket and 
caught him. He wasn’t hurt a bit, 
but he was so frightened he trembled 
all over. 

His missy cuddled him, saying, 
“Poor kitty! Nevermind!” 

Tinker Bell scolded him. She said 
he was a great baby. But I was sorry 
for him. I knew all about how he 
felt. 

Gray Kitten was full of mischief 
and always getting into things. One 
day he tumbled into a can of oil. 

What a funny looking cat he was! 
His fur stuck up in little points all 
over his body. 

His missy washed him in warm 
water. She rubbed him hard, but the 
oil wouldn’t come out. He looked so 
queer. 

He was not a pretty kitten any 
more, but they said he would be all 
right when he grew up. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


57 


They named him Oily. I do not 
think that is a pretty name, do you? 



Baby Kitten was smaller than the 
others and not so smart. When they 
were running all around, he couldn’t 
even get out of the box. 









58 


DANDIE 


His legs were weak, and so were 
his eyes. His tail looked just like a 



rat’s, for it had no hair on it. He 
was not a bit pretty. 

Tinker Bell did not seem to love 
Baby Kitten as she did the others. 








THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 59 

She always made him cry when she 
washed him. 

Gray Kitten and White Kitten 
were not at all kind to Baby Kitten. 
They pushed him away from the milk 
and took it all themselves. 

Missy was sorry for him. She 
brought him into our house, and gave 
him a dish of milk all his own. 

“He will be the prettiest kitten of 
the lot when he grows up,” she said. 
I wonder if he will! 


MY NAUGHTY DAY 


Were you ever naughty all day 
long ? I was once. 

One time when Little Boy was 
naughty I heard his Mamma tell him 
that he must have climbed out of bed 
wrong foot first. 

Perhaps that was what was the 
matter with me. Or perhaps I ate too 
many green frogs the night before. 

Anyway, I felt cross. I didn’t 
want any breakfast, so I put my paw 
into my dish and spilled my milk. It 
went all over Missy’s clean floor. 

“Just see what you have done, you 
careless Dandie!’’ she said. “I suppose 
you did not mean to, but you can’t 
have any more milk today. I wanted 
to be good to you, so gave you all 
the milk we had.’’ 


60 



Dandic and his breakfast 




































































































































































62 


DANDIE 


I knew I did mean to do it. I was 
sorry for a minute, but not sorry 
enough to want to be good. 

I went into the living room to see 
what other mischief I could do. 

No one was there. A vase of flow¬ 
ers stood on the table. I dug my 
claws into the table cover and pulled 
hard. The cover came off and the 
vase tipped over. The water and the 
flowers were all spilled. 

Before Missy could get in to see 
what was the matter, I had hidden 
under the couch. 

“That wicked cat did this!” she 
cried. “Where is he?” But she could 
not find me. 

When she had cleaned up the water 
and gone away, I came out. 

Other Missy’s knitting was on a 
chair. I got it and pulled out the 
needles. Then I tangled the yarn all 
up. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


63 


I left it on the floor and went out 
into the yard to play. I thought it 
better to be somewhere else when 
she found it. 

In the chicken yard was a mother 
hen and six little chickens. They were 
just as soft and yellow! 

I ran after them, and made them 
think I was going to catch them. 
They were scared and cried, “Peep, 
peep, peep!” 

The mother hen was very angry. 
She flew at me and pecked me on the 
nose. It hurt, and I went away. 

I thought I might as well go and 
see Ink Pot. I knew it would make 
Missy sorry to have me run away, but 
I did not care for that. 

No one was at home but Little 
Girl. Her Mamma had gone to the 
city. 

“What can we do that is bad?” I 
asked Ink Pot. 


64 


DANDIE 


“Why do you want to do some¬ 
thing bad?” he said. 

I told him, because I just felt like 
it. He said he felt that way himself 
sometimes. 

There was some meat on the table. 
Little Girl’s Mamma had forgotten to 
put it away. Ink Pot said we might 
steal it, and that just suited me. 

So we climbed up on the table and 
pulled the meat on to the floor. We 
ate all we could, and then went out 
into the yard. 

Little Girl saw us and took me 
up into her arms I scratched her 
and made her cry. 

She dropped me and ran away. 
Ink Pot said, “You shouldn’t have 
done that, Dandie. She is just a 
baby.” But I didn’t care if I did hurt 
her. 

We played with the acorns. Little 
brother got all the best ones, so I 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


65 


cuffed him. That made him angry, and 
he told me to go home. 



I went away, but I did not go 
home. I wasn’t ready to be good. I 
went down on the flats and ate frogs 
until I felt sick. 


5 



















66 


DANDIE 


Some boys came by with a dog. 
The dog chased me up a tree, and the 



boys threw sticks at me. I had to 
stay up in the tree a long time. 

At last they went away. I was tired 
of being naughty, so I got down 
out of the tree and went up the hill. 

My missies were sitting on a bench 
under a tree. I went up and rubbed 
against them, and purred. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


67 


Other Missy said, “Here is the 
naughty cat that tangled up my knit¬ 
ting.” 

I jumped on her knees and folded 
my paws. She did not think I heard 
what she said. 

Missy saw that my nose was hurt. 
“O Dandie,” she said, “you chased 
the little chickens and made the 
mother hen angry. Why have you 
been such a naughty pussy today ? 
Is it fun ? ” 

It is not fun at all. I never want 
to spend another such day. 


MY GOOD DAY 

The next day I thought I’d try to 
be good. 

When I got up to breakfast, there 
was no milk in my dish, but I didn’t 
tease or cry. I waited until Missy 
put some in it. 

“You’re a nice kitty today,” she said. 

I wanted to go out to play, but 
Other Missy had a headache. 

“Come and lie on the couch with 
me, Dandie, and purr,” she said. 

So I did. She stroked me, and we 
both went to sleep. When we waked 
up, Other Missy felt better. 

“Thank you, Dandie,” she said, 
stroking me. “ Now go and play.” 

I caught a mouse that morning. 
When I took it into the kitchen to 
show to Missy, Tom was there. He 


68 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 69 

looked hungry, so I said, “Would you 
like to have this mouse, Tom?’’ 



“Yes, I should,” he said. “I haven’t 
had a mouse for a week.” 

I gave it to him, and it made me 
very happy to see him eat it. 











70 


DANDIE 


I went out into the yard to find 
something to do. As I walked down 
by the little house, the black dog’s 
lady called to me. 

If you are a cat, you seem not to 
hear when any one calls you. You 
never mind if you can help it. 

But that day I was trying to be 
good, so I stopped and looked back. 
I was glad I did, for she had a nice 
piece of fishskin for me. 

It was just as well that I gave 
that mouse to Tom. If I had eaten 
it, I shouldn’t have wanted the fish- 
skin. As it was, I ate it all, and it 
was ever so good. 

After that I went to Ink Pot’s 
house. I told him I was sorry I had 
cuffed him the day before. Ink Pot 
was very kind, and said it was all 
right. 

Little Girl was sick. She lay on 
her Mamma’s lap, and cried. When 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 71 

she saw me, she said, “Bad kitty 
scratches. Go away.” 

I rubbed against her Mamma, and 
purred. Little Girl put out her hand 
and stroked my fur the wrong way. 
Then she pulled my tail. It hurt, but 
I never said a word. 

Her Mamma laid Little Girl down 
on the couch. She told her to be good 
while she was busy. But she just 
cried and cried. 

Sometimes my missies read aloud. 
I heard them read once about a cat. 
It took care of a baby and put it to 
sleep. 

“I can do that, too,” I thought. 

So I began to run round and round 
after my tail. Then I got a piece of 
wood and acted as though it were a 
mouse. 

I threw it as far away as I could. 
Then I made a spring, and jumped on 
it, and shook it. 


72 


DANDIE 


Little Girl stopped crying and 
began to laugh. “More, more!” she 
cried, so I played all the tricks I 
could think of. 



At last she grew tired of play. She 
called to her Mamma to take her up, 
but she was too busy. 

I jumped up on the couch beside 
her. Then I folded my paws, shut my 
eyes, and purred as loudly as I could. 









THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


73 


Little Girl lay still. Pretty soon 
her eyes shut, too, and she was fast 
asleep. Then I got down. 

Her Mamma said, “Good kitty, to 
put the baby to sleep!” 

She gave me some milk. After I 
had eaten it, I went home. I felt 
very happy. 

It is nice to be good. Why can’t 
we be good all the time? 



The yellow dog and Dandie 








































































































































































I FIND OUT ABOUT THE 
TROLLEY CAR 

On the hill I heard a great deal 
about the trolley car. People would 
come out of houses with their hats 
on, saying, “ I can’t stop. I must get 
the car.” Then they would hurry down 
the hill very fast. 

One day I heard Missy say she was 
going to the car. “ Now is my chance,” 
I thought. “I’ll go too, and find out 
all about it.” So I followed her 

The yellow dog was on his porch, 
and called out to me, “Your lady 
won’t take you this time,” but I paid 
no attention to him. 

When we got to the flats I called, 
“Wait for me.” 

Missy turned around and saw me. 
She was very cross. “You can’t come 


75 


76 


D ANDIE 


with me, Dandie,” she said. “Go right 
home.” Then she went on very fast. 



But I didn’t go back. I waited a 
minute, and then I went on. Pretty 
soon I called again, “Wait for me. 
Wait for me.” 








THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


77 


Missy was just opening the big 
gate. She was very, very cross this 
time, and said, “You naughty cat! I 
told you to go back.’’ 

She called a little boy and said, 
“Please take my kitty home; I am 
going on the trolley car.” 

She gave him a penny, and he took 
me in his arms. I scratched and 
scratched, but he held tight. I couldn’t 
get away. 

The yellow dog laughed when he 
saw the little boy bringing me home. 

“You were sent back,” he said. “I 
told you that you couldn’t go.” 

“How did you know?” I asked. 

“Because they won’t let me go, 
either,” he answered. 

“Why not?” 

“ I don’t know. They just say, 
‘I’m going to the trolley car; be a 
good dog.’ Then I know I must stay 
at home.” 


78 


DAN DIE 


I didn’t say any more, but I 
thought, “I shall go just the same.” 

But I didn’t get a chance for some 
time, for Missy said next time, “Keep 
Dandie in the house, so he won’t fol¬ 
low me.” Then I was shut up. 

One day, a long time after that, I 
was at play down on the flats when 
Little Girl’s Mamma and a lady came 
by. They were running fast. I heard 
them say, “We can get the car if we 
hurry.” 

“Now is my time to find out all 
about it,” I thought. So I followed 
them. 

They went through the big gate, 
into the lane. I had never been there 
before. 

I wanted to stay and play with 
the grasshoppers, but the ladies went 
on so fast, I had to run to keep up. 

I called, “Wait for me,” but they 
never even turned around. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 79 

It was a long, long way and I was 
very tired. I was about ready to go 
back, when the lane ended in the big 
road. 

The ladies stopped running. They 
went across the road, and stood by a 
little yellow house. I went up and 
rubbed against them. 

Little Girl’s Mamma said, “Why, 
Dandie! Why did you come to the 
trolley car? You must go right home, 
like a good kitty.” 

I heard a noise. It sounded like a 
great big cat purring. That was the 
car. It came running down the hill 
very fast, with its tail in the air. When 
it got to the little yellow house, it 
stopped. 

The ladies got on. The car began 
to purr again, and started off. 

I did not go home. It was nice 
there. I played with the grasshoppers. 
When I was tired, I went to sleep. 


80 


DANDIE 


Some children came by from school. 
They stopped to play with me. I had 
a fine time with them. They gave me 
good things to eat out of their lunch 
baskets. 

Ever so many trolley cars went by. 
At last, when one stopped, Little Girl’s 
Mamma got off. 

When she saw me, she said, “Have 
you been here all this time, Dandie? 
Come right home.’’ 

It was getting dark, and I was 
hungry. So I went. 

I thought she might carry me, but 
her arms were full of bundles. So I 
had to walk all the way. 

I wanted to go to supper with Ink 
Pot, but when we got to the hill she 
said, “Good-by, Dandie,’’ and I had to 
go home. 

Missy had been looking everywhere 
for me. “Where have you been all 
day.?” she asked. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


81 



I did not answer, but somebody 
must have told her, for the next day 
Missy said that good kitties did not 
run away from home and go to the 
trolley cars. 


6 





82 


DANDIE 


I was tied up all day. When Missy 
and the yellow dog went to walk, they 
left me at home. 

I cried to go with them, but Missy 
said, “ Dandie must learn to mind.” 

I wonder if I should be a happier 
cat if I minded! 


EVERYBODY GOES AWAY FROM 
THE HILL 


The little frogs all grew up. The 
pretty yellow flowers, called goldenrod, 
came out. I like them, because they 
are the color of my fur. 

People began to say, “Summer is 
nearly over.” 

One day the little black dog and 
his lady came into our house. She was 
wearing her hat. He had on his 
muzzle. 

A muzzle is a little cage. It goes 
over a dog’s nose and mouth. It is 
to keep him from biting in the hot 
days of the summer. Some people 
call these days “Dog days.” A dog 
cannot eat anything, or drink, when 
he is wearing a muzzle, but he can 
bark a little. 


83 


84 


DANDIE 


The lady said they were going 
away. They had come to say good-by. 



“We shall go away too, very soon,” 
Missy said. 

“What are you going to do with 
Dandie?” asked the lady. 

Missy told her she did not know 




THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 85 

The lady said, “Would you like to 
come and live with us, Dandie, until 
your Missy has another home?’’ 

I did not answer, but Missy said, 
“ He would like it very much.” 

Then they went away. I knew 
they were going to the trolley car, 
because the lady wore her hat. 

I wondered why she took the black 
dog with her. He had always been left 
at home before, like the yellow dog 
and me. 

I asked him, but he could not talk 
with his muzzle on. So I did not find 
out. 

They didn’t come back that night. 
Next day I went to the little house, 
but it was all shut up. 

Then my missies began to pull 
things around in our house. They 
said they were packing. 

I did not like it very well. My 
dish of milk was never in its place. 


86 


DANDIE 


Everybody in the house was busy. 
Missy had no time to play with me or to 
hold me in her lap and stroke my fur. 



I went to see Ink Pot, and found 
that Little Girl’s Mamma was pack¬ 
ing, too. He told me they were going 
away. 

“Are they going to take you?” I 
asked him. “The black dog’s lady 
took him when she went away.” 
















THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


87 


“No,” he said, “I am going to live 
at the barn.” 

I told him that I would go and 
live at the barn with him, but he said, 
“Your Missy will not let you be a 
barn cat.” 

Why did everybody want to go 
away? It was very nice on the hill. 
I did not see why we could not stay 
there always. 


MISSY AND I GO TO THE CITY 


One day when Missy called me to 
her, she had her hat on, and a basket 
in her hand. I looked to see if there 
were anything to eat in it, but it was 
quite empty. 

She picked me up and put me 
right into the basket, saying, “Now 
Dandie must not be frightened.’’ Then 
she shut down the cover and made it 
fast. 

I scratched and clawed, and cried, 
“Let me out! Let me out! Let me 
out!” 

But Missy said, “Keep quiet, Dandie; 
you are all right.” 

She took the basket in her hand 
and left the house. I couldn’t see 
out, but I knew when we went down 
the hill and across the flats. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 89 

We went out into the lane. Missy 
had to put down the basket while 
she opened the big gate. 

After a while I heard the trolley car 
come purring along. It stopped. We 
got on, and it began to go again. 

Missy opened the basket and took 
me out. She held me on her lap and 
talked to me. 

People in the car laughed. A little 
boy cried gleefully, “Oh, see the 
kitty!” He wanted to come and play 
with me, but his Mamma wouldn’t 
let him. 

I went to sleep, and had a nice 
nap. At last Missy woke me up and 
said, “Here we are!” Then she put 
me back into the basket. 

The car stopped, and Missy carried 
me out. 

I heard a great noise, and was 
afraid. I cried, “Mew, mew, mew!” 
but Missy didn’t hear me. 



When Dandie went for a ride 
























































THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 91 

I put my back up against the top 
of the basket. I pushed as hard as 
I could. The straps broke, and I 
jumped out. 

It was such a queer place! The 
street was full of horses and trolley 
cars. The sidewalk was full of people. 
I had never seen so many people 
before. They walked fast, and pushed 
against each other. 

I was so frightened by all the 
noise I just stood still. I didn’t 
know which way to go. 

A boy cried, “Cat loose!” and 
tried to grab me. Then I ran right 
out into the street. 

Missy ran after me. A big man, 
in blue clothes, held up his hand. All 
the cars and horses stood still, while 
she picked me up. 

We went into a big room and sat 
down. Missy smoothed my fur. She 
talked to me until I felt better. 


92 


DANDIE 


She couldn’t put me back into the 
basket, for the straps were broken. 



So when we went on another trolley 
car, she held me in her arms. 

We rode a long, long way. Then 
we got off the car, and went up a pretty 
street. 

At last we stopped at a house. 
Missy pushed a button. I could hear 
a bell ring. 














THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 93 

We waited a minute. Then, who 
should come to the door but the black 
dog’s lady! He wasn’t with her, but 
I could hear him barking, inside the 
house. 

When she saw the broken straps, 
she laughed, and said, “So Dandie 
doesn’t like to go traveling in a basket! ’’ 



We went into the house, and they 
talked a long time. I played around 






94 


DANDIE 


on the floor. I tell you it seemed 
good to stretch my legs! 

At last Missy said, “Good-by, 
Dandie. Be a good cat.’’ Then she 
went away. 

After she had gone the black dog’s 
lady took me into the kitchen and 
gave me my dinner. 

I was so hungry! 


AT THE BLACK DOG’S HOUSE 

I stayed some time at the black 
dog’s house. He was not very polite 
to me. He hardly ever talked to me, 
and he was very cross if I ate out of 
his dish. 

He slept on the beds, and put his 
paws on the table. Missy had never 
let me do those things, but his lady 
didn’t seem to mind. 

When I found out that the black dog 
lay on the beds, I tried it, too. It 
was nice and soft, and the lady never 
said a word. 

The house was not at all like ours 
on the hill. The rooms were little and 
full of things. And there was not a 
single mousehole in the pantry! 

Every day I went out to play 
in the yard for a long time. It was 
95 


96 


DAN DIE 


not very large and a fence went all 
the way around it. There was only 
one tree in the yard. 

One end of a long, long string was 
tied to the tree. The other end was 
tied to my collar. The string was so 
long that I could climb ’way up to 
the top of the tree. 

I saw a great many birds in the 
yard. But I never touched any of 
them, though birds are better to eat 
than mice. 

Once I tried to catch a bird. I 
told you about it, didn’t I? It made 
Missy feel badly, and I never forgot 
it. Besides, I could not catch them, 
anyway. My string wouldn’t let me. 

Perhaps that is why the lady always 
made me wear it. She liked birds, and 
I heard her say, “I do not trust cats.” 

There was a bird in the house, too. 
He lived in a cage, high, high up in 
the air. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 97 

I could have climbed up as well 
as not. But of course I didn’t want 
to get him. 



I used to sit on a chair and look 
at him, though. Then he would cry 
and tremble. 








































98 


DANDIE 


When the lady saw me doing it, 
she would say, “Dandie must never 
touch the bird!” 



Whenever the black dog and his 
lady went to walk, she wore her hat 
and he had on his muzzle. 

I wondered why they did this, for on 
the hill no one wore hats or muzzles. 
So one day I asked the black dog. 


























THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 99 

“Because we live in a city,’’ he 
answered. “ In the city, all people 
wear hats and all dogs wear muzzles.” 

I looked out of the window to see 
if it were so, and it was just as he 
said. 

I wanted to go and walk with 
them, but they never asked me. The 
black dog said cats never walked with 
people in the city. 

I think the hill is nicer than the 
city. 



I GO TO A NEW HOME 

Just as I began to like living at 
the black dog’s house, I had to make 
another change. 

One afternoon 1 was fast asleep 
on the bed. The lady came and 
waked me up and said, “ Dandie is 
going to a new home.” 

We went downstairs. There I 
found Other Missy and a lady I had 
never seen before. 

Other Missy took me on her lap 
and stroked my fur and loved me. I 
was glad to see her, and purred. 

After they had talked a good while, 
the dog’s lady brought a basket. 
They tried to put me into it, but it 
was too small. 

I did not like the basket, and cried 
to be let out. 


too 



Dandie at home in the black dog's house 















































































102 


DAN DIE 


“Can’t we carry him?” asked the 
new lady. 

“We’ll put on his string,” said 
Other Missy. “Then he can walk part 
of the way.” 

They tied the long string to my 
collar. Then we went away. 

The dog’s lady told me I had been 
a very good cat at her house. But 
he did not even say good-by to me. I 
think he was glad to have me go. 

Other Missy started to carry me. 
I thought it would be nicer to walk, 
so I wriggled around in her arms. 
Then she put me down and took hold 
of my string. 

I knew she wanted me to walk 
along on the sidewalk, but I didn’t 
want to. I ran up into a yard and 
sat down. 

Other Missy cried, “O Dandie, 
come on! We shall never get to the 
car at this rate!” But I did not stir. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 103 

The new lady picked me up. I 
scratched her, and she had to put me 



down. Then I ran off again, as far as 
the string would let me. 

It took us a long, long time to go 
a little way, because I acted so. 














104 


DANDIE 


Other Missy scolded me. She said 
I was a bad cat, and my new Missy 
wouldn’t love me. 

“Oh, yes I shall,” the other lady 
said. Then I knew she was my new 
Missy. 

I thought, “If I’m not good, she 
may not give me any milk.” So I 
went up and rubbed against her. She 
picked me up again, and this time I 
lay quiet in her arms. 

At last we got to the car. It 
stopped and took us on. 

Other Missy did not go far. Soon 
she said, “Good-by, Dandie. Be a 
happy little cat.” Then she got off. 

New Missy and I rode on. She 
talked to me, and I purred. 

I was just getting ready to take a 
nap, when she picked me up and left 
the car. 

We went up the street and into 
a little white house. 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 105 


Somebody called out, “Have you 
brought the kitty?” 

“Yes,” answered New Missy. Here 
he is.” 

I had come to my new home. 


MY NEW HOME AND WHAT I 
FOUND THERE 

The people in the new home were 
called Mother, Father, and Brother. 

Mother was very good to me. She 
gave me nice things to eat. I stayed 
with her while New Missy was at 
school. 

Father did not care for cats. He 
hardly ever spoke to me. He and 
Brother were away all day. 

When Brother came home at night, 
he said, “Hello, cat!’’ 

New Missy told him my name was 
Dandie. Then he said, “Hello, Dandie! ’ ’ 

He took me on his knee. I began 
to purr, and he said, “He is a fine 
cat.” 

The next time he came home he 
brought two collars for me. “One is 
106 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


107 


for Dandie to wear week days,” he said, 
“and the other is for Sundays.” 



Every Sunday Brother stayed at 
home. He put on my other collar the 
first thing in the morning. That is 
how I knew when Sunday came. 



























108 


DANDIE 


Then he played with me. We had 
fine times together. 

There was a big dog at my new 
home. His name was Shep. 

New Missy said, “Shep, this is 
Dandie. You must take care of him. 
Don’t let him get lost.” 

Shep smelled me all over. Then he 
licked me with his tongue. After that, 
we were friends. 

There was another cat, too. He did 
not have a name. They just called 
him the barn cat. And he didn’t come 
into the house, but lived out with 
the auto. 

I went out to see him. He was not 
angry because I had come to live with 
his people. He said I might stay. 

He was quite an old cat, and did 
not care to play. 

There was no fence around the 
yard. You could go right out into 
the street. 



Dandie and Shep 















































110 


DANDIE 


I thought I would go for a walk. 
Mother saw me start. She called, 
“Shep, don’t let Dandie get on the car 
tracks.” 

Shep came and walked with me. 
When we got to the corner I was 
going right on, but he said, ‘‘The car 
tracks are there, Dandie. You can t 
go any farther.” 

I started to go right on, just as 
though I didn’t hear, but he made me 
turn round and go home with him at 
once. 

Whenever I went on the street, 
Shep went, too. So I never could run 
away. 

Once, when I went to see the barn 
cat, he said, ‘‘What did you have for 
dinner today?” 

‘‘Potatoes and gravy, and some 
milk.” 

“Do they never give you any 
meat? ” 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 111 


“Not often. They say it will make 
me sick.” 



Then he asked me if I would like 
a mouse. 

“Oh, yes indeed!” I cried. “But 
there isn’t a single mousehole anywhere 
in this house!” 














112 


DANDIE 


He dug in the straw, and brought 
something out. It was a nice fat 
mouse! 

“You can have it just as well as 
not,” he said. “I’ve had two today.” 

That was the best mouse I ever 
tasted! It was almost as good as the 
little green frogs! 

I asked the barn cat if he had ever 
eaten any little frogs. 

He didn’t know what I meant, for 
he had never lived in the country. 

I told him all about it. 

“That must be fine!” he said. 
“Let’s run away and go there!” 

I told him it was too far; that we 
couldn’t find the way, and that Shep 
wouldn’t let me go off the street. 

The barn cat and I grew to be 
very good friends. He always gave 
me a part of his mice. 

Often he would ask me about the 
country. I told him all about Ink 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 113 

Pot and the chickens, and about the 
dogs and the kittens. 

I told him how Little Boy put me 
into the water. That made him very 
angry. He said that I ought to have 
scratched him. I told him I was too 
scared to scratch. 

He said he would like to know 
Old Tom. He thought it silly to be 
afraid of the chickens, though. 

Talking about it all made me a 
little homesick. 

We did have such good times on 
the hill! 


8 


I FIND ANOTHER CAT IN 
THE MIRROR 

One morning I found Mother and 
New Missy pulling things all around 
the living room. 

I thought they must be packing, 
but I heard them say they were clean¬ 
ing house. 

All the pictures were taken down 
from the walls. They were set on the 
floor and washed. 

One was such a strange picture. 
It looked like a glass with a frame 
around it. 

I went up to look at it, and what 
do you think I saw? Another cat, look¬ 
ing right out from the glass! He had 
yellow fur, and stripes, just like mine! 

I put out my paw to touch him 
There was nothing there but glass! 

114 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


115 


“He must be behind the picture,” 
I thought. 



I couldn’t get behind it, for it stood 
against the wall. So I put my paw 
around behind it. And what do you 
think? There was nothing there! 














116 


DANDIE 


I never knew anything so queer. 
I put one paw in front of the picture, 
and one behind. “Now, surely I shall 
get him,” I thought. 



There was no cat on either side! 
Still he looked at me. 

New Missy came in. 

“O Mother,” she called, “come 
and see Dandie try to get the cat in 
the mirror!” 



















THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 


117 


Mother came, and they laughed 
and laughed. I didn’t see anything 
to laugh at. 

Pretty soon they took the picture 
away. They hung it back on the wall. 
The cat was not behind it! Where 
could he have gone? 

Shep knew about the mirror. He 
said everybody saw different pictures 
in it. 

When he looked in it, he said he 
saw a dog, but it was not a real dog. 

It is very queer. I cannot under¬ 
stand it. 


MISSY AND OTHER MISSY 
COME TO SEE ME 

One afternoon I had been out walk¬ 
ing with Shep. When we got home, 
New Missy came to the door to meet us. 

‘‘Dandie has company,” she said. 

She took me upstairs and combed 
my fur. Then she put on my Sunday 
collar and tied a blue ribbon in it. 

Blue looks well with my yellow 
fur, but I do not like ribbons. 

We went down to the living room. 
You never can guess who was there! 
It was Missy and Other Missy! 

Missy took me in her arms. “ Have 
you forgotten me, Dandie?” she asked. 

I jumped on her shoulder, just 
as I used to do. Then I put my 
paws around her neck. I rubbed 
against her face, and purred. 

118 



Dandie and Missy 
































































































120 


DANDIE 


Missy said she was glad I had 
not forgotten her. 



Mother came in, and they all talked 
and talked. 

Some one asked, “Have you come 
to take Dandie away? ” 
















THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 121 

“We have no home and cannot 
take care of him,” answered Missy. 
“He will have to be your kitty.” 

Mother said, “We will take good 
care of him for you.” 

“If we go back to the hill next 
summer,” said Other Missy, “perhaps 
we can have him with us again.” 

I hoped they would go back to the 
hill. I wanted to take the barn cat 
there. I knew he would like the country. 

They talked some more, and Missy 
stroked my fur. 

I wanted her to see that I did as 
I pleased in my new home. So I got 
down from her lap, and jumped up 
on a table. 

Nobody noticed me jump but 
Missy. She cried out at once, “Oh, 
see Dandie on the table! Make him 
get down!” 

“We never touch him,” said Mother. 
“He doesn’t do any harm.” 


122 


DANDIE 


Missy told her that I knew better 
than to get on the table. 

Other Missy said she was afraid 
they were too good to me. “ Dandie 
knows when he is naughty,” she said. 
“Don’t you, kitty-cat?” 

“ I guess he does,” said New Missy, 
“but we love him just the same.” 

Then I was sorry I had been bad. 
So I got down from the table, and 
rubbed up against her. 

Pretty soon the missies said good-by 
and went away. 

My best collar and ribbon were 
taken off. My other collar was put 
on, and I went out to see the barn cat. 

I told him I might go back to the 
hill next summer. He asked me if he 
could go, too. I said I would try to 
take him. 


I AM STILL AT MY NEW HOME 

Winter came. Out of doors, all was 
ice and snow. I don’t like the cold, 
so I stayed in the house most of the 
time. 

I lay under the kitchen stove, and 
slept a good deal. 

Every afternoon Mother said, “Now 
it is time for Dandie’s walk.” 

Then Shep and I had to go out. 

It was not very pleasant. The snow 
made my feet cold. When we got 
back, though, I felt better for going 
out. 

At last spring came. Leaves came 
out on the trees. The birds built their 
nests. At first there were eggs in the 
nests, then there were young birds. 

I thought Mother would not say 
anything if I took a young robin. So 
123 


124 


DANDIE 


I started up the tree. But she came 
out quickly and said, “Do not touch 
the little birds, Dandie.” 



So I had to get down without one. 
I wonder what she would have done 
if I had gone on? 

As soon as the snow melted away, 
I went out to find the barn cat. 

“Hello, Dandie,” he said. “Where 
have you been all winter?” 


THE TALE OF A YELLOW CAT 125 


I told him I had been in the house; 
that I didn’t like to go out in the snow. 



He said he did’nt like to go out in it, 
either. 

It rained a good deal in the spring. 
Rain is not nice. It makes mud, and 
when you go out to play your feet 
get dirty. 

At last the sun came out every day. 
It was warm and pleasant. People 




126 


DANDIE 


said, “How good it is to have summer 
again!” 

“Now that it is summer, the missies 
will come and get me,” I thought, but 
they did not come. 

I wonder if they went back to the 
hill! 

The New Missy did not know any¬ 
thing about them. Brother asked her. 
He said, “I guess they don’t want 
Dandie, anyway.” 

“You like us pretty well, don’t 
you, Dandie?” she said. 

I rubbed against her, and purred. 

“That is the way he says, ‘Yes,’” 
she told Brother. 

I am still at this house. It is a 
good home. They are kind to me, and 
I am happy. 

But I should like to go back to 
the hill and taste those little frogs 
again. 


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